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Replacing Old Generation Of Stars
-What Can the New Breed Do?
Dulee, Dioh and Dixon , Playing in Sweden
It is quite paradoxical to note that the story of Liberian football is
one of despair and regret notwithstanding the calibre of sports
administrators, technicians, and up-and-coming football talents the
nation boasts of. The local league is yet to match other leagues in
the sub-region, and the national team is certainly a minnow on the
continent.
The years before the 1990s saw Liberian football and footballers in
the top-notch square whence the attention of the entire soccer world
was fixed on them. But as Wleh Bedell writes, the question Liberians
are asking is whether or not with the exit of the old generation of
soccer stars, the new breed of footballers will restore Liberian
football to the enviable level of the decade of the 1990s.
It is quite unbelievable that a country that produced Africa’s
greatest footballer in George Manneh Weah has lost the steam it needs
to compete with other countries.
Stars have come and gone, but it seems Liberia is still in slumber and
is yet to grasp what it means to design and run a sports program. As
the result of this, the country’s sports program is yet to make gains
like its neighbors.
The glorious days of Liberian football saw the likes of the George
Weah leading the national soccer squad – the Lone Star, and all of
those who played alongside the former World Best are now dubbed as the
“Old Generation”.
When you talk about Lone Star those days players like James ‘Salinsa’
Debbah, Joe ‘Armstrong’ Nagbe and Jonathan ‘Boy Charles’ Sogbwe come
to mind. They showed class when they played for the national team, and
they qualified the country to two Nation’s Cups in South Africa in
1996 and in Mali 2002.
Unfortunately these cherished moments in the country’s soccer program
could not be sustained partly because of the war and most especially
because of the lack of vision and robust soccer program that takes
into consideration the welfare of players, training programs, and
playing facilities.
There is no telling that as the result of this lapse, the Lone Star
missed out narrowly on two World Cups, Italian ’90 and Japan Korea
2002, with the latter been the most painful.
The irony of the moment is that while the nation’s soccer program is
suffering from negligence, numerous Liberians professional players
were scattered all over Europe making tremendous impact in the global
leather. Let’s look at the trails of the Liberians stars:
Weah launched his soccer career in Cameroon with Tonnere Klara Club
where his superb display of his skills enabled him to form company
with manager Arsene Wenger of French club A.S Monaco.
A couple of seasons later, the gifted finisher became the ‘bride’ of
many grooms, as top European clubs began chasing him. He landed at
Paris Saint German (PSG) where he featured in the semi-final of the
champions’ league.
A.C Milan, Marseille, Chelsea and Manchester City were also top clubs
the two-time African Footballer to the Year, 1989 and 1995 styled
for.His record breaking achievement in 1995 where he won the World
Best title is still fresh on people’s minds, according to followers of
the game.
Weah’s faithful companion Debbah made headways with various clubs
including Union Douala of Cameroon, Vallarus of France, Lyon, and PSG.
He also had a stint with Belgian club Anderlecht.
Unlike Weah and Debbah, Jonathan Sogbwe began with Ivorian club ASEC
Mimosa before landing at Swiss club Sevette where he soon turned an
icon.
Like Debbah, Nagbe featured for Cameroonian club Union Douala before
moving over to highly rated French clubs Nice and Olympique Lyon.
Besides Joe Nagbe who plies his trade with Indonesian premier club
Persema, the rest of the stars just mentioned are rather inactive with
Weah in pole position in the Liberian Presidential Elections as
standard bearer of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC). Debbah is
a stalwart of the Liberty Party, of Charles Brumskine, while Sogbwe is
reportedly a key man in the campaign team of the Unity Party of Madam
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
It is generally said that the George Weah-led old generation is
arguably the best in Liberian football history as it turned sorrows
into ecstasies on many occasions, bringing such “soccerdoms” like
Nigeria, Egypt, and Ghana to their knees in major continental soccer
competitions.
The question now on everyone’s lips is whether or not the new
generation of stars can emulate or beat the records of their senior
compatriots. Pundits say the task is a mammoth one, and a lot needs to
be put in place if the younger ones are to do same.
The new generation has somehow begun on a scrappy note with the Lone
Star turning the whipping boys on the continent. Albert Seibo is
rather cautiously optimistic that the new brigade of stars will follow
suit.
Firstly, he says, there is serious need to restructure the country’s
football program. The league he says is below par, and club teams have
been unable to play in African soccer competitions for quite a long
time.
Dominic Dweh agrees, noting that during the days of Weah and crew
there used to be a good porting program. “Clubs were competing on the
outside, and the players were ripe before leaving for professional
contracts,” he recalled.
He said Weah left the country after playing in a tournament organized
in commemoration of the LFA’s 50th Anniversary. The FA needs to be
innovative in putting into place these programs, he insists.
But, Urius Pennoh an ardent follower of the game says during the days
of the old generation, the government was fully involved in the
promotion of the team. “The late president Doe funded the Lone Star’s
trip to Brazil which paved the way for stars like Weah,” he claimed.
According to him the government nowadays is quite lackadaisical in the
running of the game, and that the FA also lacks the requisite
framework to propel the country’s football. As these bickering
continue, a former international star who preferred anonymity says
part of the problems of today’s soccer program lies with the players
themselves.
“They lack commitment. But they only want to see themselves obtaining
professional contracts and making all the money. They are not
exertive. They are not discipline and they don’t take training
seriously. Their activities outside football is too much and
discouraging,” he concludes.
After Weah and the rest of the stars, Liberia cannot boast of any
stars whose name is a household word in Africa. Observers say they are
yet to see a Liberian player been placed among the top 20 players who
would later be short-listed to three or four for the best player on
the African continent.
The bulk of the current corps of players plies their trade in
Indonesia which is regarded as a modest league.
But again they are not to be blamed as such countries offer them
opportunities that their country’s soccer program cannot offer. Some
youngsters showing purpose in that part of the world include burly
defender Murphy Nagbe with premier club Persekapas.
The former LISCR rear-guard made his international debut during the
Lone Star 7-2 trashing by Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles in a friendly at
the latter’s home ground.
He had a stint with South African Division One outfit, Durban Stars,
before moving on to Indonesia due to poor management from a certain
Arnu Cooper. His teammate is the diminutives but sneaky Zah Krangar
who tasted European football on the youth level with the national
U-13, U-14 and U-15 in the Gothia and Dana Cups in Sweden and Denmark
respectively.
He moved to Indonesia after a season with Cameroon first division
club, Racing FC. Another prodigy is Tarkpor Sonkalay who featured for
LPRC Oilers before moving on to that part of the world where he
features for newly-promoted premiership side Persiter Ternate.
The young Liberia international has fellow countrymen Sunday Sieh, the
goalkeeper- turned-striker and incisive midfielder Francis Razak Carr
as teammates.
There are currently 34 Liberians playing competitive football in that
part of the world. The league may not be on par with other countries’
leagues round the world, but it is said this is where these players
have the opportunity and they are making full use of it.
Interestingly, Indonesia is the birthplace of Spain and Barcelona
wingback Giovanni Van Bronchorst. Specifically, the adventurous
wingback was born in Manado where Patrick Sieh plies his trade with
Persma Manado.
The list of the new generation includes Dioh Williams, Dulee Johnson
and Jimmy Dixon with Swedish club B.K. Haken. The latter had a stint
with the old generation before their exit at the 2002 Nation’s Cup in
Mali.
Greece-based Francis Grand Pa Doe with division one side Arttromitos
F.C is also a key man.
Another promising star for the new generation is the 17-year-old Champ
Weah who styles for Milan Juniors of Italy. Champ who is the son of
legendary footballer George Weah could be a lynchpin for the new Lone
Star.
Anthony Laffor of South African premiership club Jomo Cosmos is no
doubt an asset to the new brigade. The speedy winger Johnny Bleedy
with Ghanaian elite club Accra Hearts of Oak is one other major name.
Currently, the nimble-footed wide-man is the toss of the fans for his
vast speed, mazy runs and useful crosses.
His coach Sanzio Bahne describes him as a harder worker and one
willing to go places. If proof was needed for his always superb
performance in the Ghanaian GT Premiership his man of the match award
in their 1-1 draw against Hasaacas in week 11 is a pointer. Breaking
into a club like Hearts is termed a difficult task by many, and with
the strides made by the ex-Invincible Eleven star, he is bound to be
among the top guns of the new generation.
The American based contingent led by Melvin Tarlay cannot be
forgotten. And the highly experienced Kelvin Sebwe, Oliver Markor and
George Gebro who all played a pivotal role in the Weah-led old brigade
will certainly be needed to guide the new faces forward.
Another player who will be needed is Frank Seator currently with
Malaysian club Perak.
Their first major test will be the qualifiers of the Ghana 2008
Nations Cup, and how well they will fare will brighten their chances
for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
They may not be playing in Europe’s competitive leagues, and may not
be of high calibre, thus the onus is on them to do the unexpected.
Observers believe Liberian players can play in any top league around
the world, but that they lack influential managers to push them
forward. Other major things needed to be put in place include the
hiring of a top-notched foreign coach to serve as technical director
in working with highly-rated local coaches, putting into place of a
well structured football program that will run a competitive league
that embraces youth football, and bringing on board some new and
reliable individuals at the helm of the country’s football.
Indeed the new generation has an arduous task. Can they make it? Only
the current tides and the future will tell.
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